by Pam Uphoff
Jin quickly grabbed a pack horse, and yanked him to a halt. Luz had them well tangled, but he quickly untied them and sorted them out, cutting loose Deni and Card as he got to them. Staying wide of the palomino, they caught and tied all the other horses. Jin was keeping an eye on the woman. And turned to her as soon as the rest of the situation was under control.
"Are you the Goddess of Mercy?" He approached her. Stopped halfway.
She turned a still face to him, eyes blazing in fury. "How could you attack the God of Peace?"
"He kidnapped my son and his friends. They are injured. Can you help them? Will you help them? Goddess of Mercy."
"They are only a bit sore. If they had co-operated, we would not have been forced to bind them. Two wizards, and a mage, what would you do with them?"
"You hurt them?" He edged closer, and she looked at him with contempt.
"Take this," she pulled a bottle out of the air. "It will heal them." She threw it, and he dropped his sword to catch it.
"I'm glad to see you value healing over your weapon. Or is it just that it is wine?" She disappeared, leaving the horse.
"Who was that?" Luz walked up behind him. His wrists were chaffed, but he looked all right otherwise.
"One of the old gods. The Goddess of Mercy. Sometimes their names are not very good indicators of their inner qualities."
"No kidding." Deni was holding his wrist tenderly. "Good move with the pack horses, brat. Guess you've got some balls after all."
Card's wrists were bleeding. "I thought we were going to get killed being rescued." He blinked around the clearing. "Gosh, Mr. Genero, you beat all three of them." He edged away from the live one.
Luz threw up his head in alarm.
"Four, actually, I got their rear guard first." Jin contemplated the palomino. It was standing still, shivering now. "Keep back boys." He walked carefully up to the horse. "Hey guy, you want that saddle all the way off?" he reached carefully for the back cinch, and popped it. The horse backed up a few steps hobbling on three legs and stopped. "All right, now the bridle, and everything can come off over your head." The horse held still while he unbuckled the nose band, the throat strap, and even kept his head down as Jin pulled the twisted breast band up and over his ears with the bridle and dropped it all as he stepped away.
"All right boys, let's see what we can do about your injuries. Deni," he probed the wrist carefully. "Broke. Well, let's just see if the Goddess of Mercy has joy juice as potent as the other gods." He dug the cork out of the wine bottle with his dagger then contemplated medicine from unfriendly gods.
He hesitated and looked at the palomino. Jin's slice at his girth had hit more than tack, and the animal was obviously very lame. He had most likely injured himself fighting the tack. Jin approached again, found a hollow in the lava and poured about a cup of wine into it and backed off. The horse sniffed it cautiously, then hobbled up and drank it. He shook himself, took a couple of steps, then bolted for freedom. Without a limp.
Jin nodded in satisfaction and let Deni have just a sip. Card got another, but Luz shook his head cautiously. Two of the horses had been slightly injured in the confusion, but they'd heal easily on their own.
He eyed the man on the ground. Walked over. "I'm going to give you a sip of this. Then you're going to walk out of here, headed south. And you'd better not let me catch sight of you."
The man's head jerked in a tense nod. Jin put the bottle to the man's lips and tilted it briefly. He backed away. The man cautiously removed his grip. No spurt of arterial blood. He hitched back to a boulder, and used it to climb to his feet. He hobbled carefully away. Jin watched him out of sight, then turned back to the mess around him.
"Well boys, the spoils of battle. Nine horses, eleven if we can catch the other two. I think we should each choose one to keep, and then sell the others and split the money."
They gawped at him, then started grinning as they looked at the horses.
Jin quickly stripped the bodies and dragged them to a low spot and started rolling the smaller boulders and stacking rocks on them. The boys joined him, suddenly quiet. The armor, weapons and money they loaded onto the pack horses, and the three boys mounted the three big riding horses.
"Dad?"
Jin looked over the state of the palomino's tack, and added it to the pack horses' loads. "I'll see if we can catch either that wretched mare of mine, the rear guard's horse, or even the palomino. Otherwise, I'll see if I can patch that saddle back together and ride one of the others." For now, he hopped onto the Goddess's little horse, and led the pack horses back north. "We'll camp up here where we can conceal ourselves a bit, head for home tomorrow." He called back.
A mile up the canyon, his stripy legged mare had tangled her reins in a thorny over-grown bush The palomino was acting in a very un-gelding-like manner with her, but galloped away when they approached. Jin tied up the pack string, and walked up to the mare quietly, talked to her a bit while he untangled her reins and straightened her saddle. He gave the boys and horses a bit of water. Two gallons didn't go far.
"That palomino must be a rig," Card said. "You know, the nads are stuck up there somewhere so he can't be gelded, but he's as mean as a stallion."
Jin nodded. "Could be, although I've known a few decent stallions."
In a clatter of hooves the loose guard's horse galloped up to his buddies, and Luz leaned out and grabbed his bridle. Jin cut a length of rope to replace the broken reins, and added him and the little gelding to the pack string. He rode the stripy mare and Card led the string along the dry streambed until they found water pooled in a low spot.
They camped nearby, just up the slope of the ashstone, in the shade of the scraggly trees. Exploring the packs, they found grain for the horses as well as jerky and dry biscuits for themselves.
Luz nudged him and pointed downstream. The palomino raised his head from the water and watched them warily.
Jin walked halfway to him and poured out a measure of oats. Retreated back to their camp. Considered their captured prizes. Only one mare, besides Stripy. Rigs generally weren't fertile. A pity in this case. But the horse might well follow them all the way home.
With that in mind he bypassed the town before they cut over to the road to Gemstone. The boys traded around between all of the saddled horses, and vowed to try the pack horses the next day. The palomino shadowed them all day, and came into their usual campground just over the border of his land grant. He accepted a measure of oats and got kicked by the other mare. The pack horses proved to be well broke, and much too good for their humble positions. By the time they met Jek with the wagon at mid day, the boys had picked their favorites. Deni wanted the dark bay gelding, a flashy animal with white socks and blaze. Card picked a big strong chestnut. Luz chose the mare, a bay with a star.
Jek looked at the happy young men and laughed. "Mev said that getting into trouble with you would do them a world of good." He looked beyond them at the loose palomino and whistled.
"The horse of the God of Peace." Jin told him. "Badly treated, nasty disposition, and a rig from the way he behaves."
"Huh. Can't catch him?"
"Don't feel like dying trying. Hopefully he'll follow all the other horses into a corral, and we can work on catching him then."
Jek drove ahead, and Jin made sure they didn't lose the palomino when the line of horses crossed the ridge and dropped down into the valley. Jin winced as the loose horse sampled and trampled various crops, but in the farm yard, when the string of horses passed through the gate into a large paddock he pranced and pawed, then finally followed them through, staying a bit back from the barn.
Jek slipped around and closed the gate.
Jina and Aero came flying out of the house, with Cina right behind. Mev was already at the barn, admiring her sons' new horses.
Jina's eyes were on the Palomino. "How did you get that horse, Dad?"
Her older brother and friends all told the story, in chaotic fashion, Jin corrected a couple
of things, emphasized the importance of the boy's packhorse chaos in letting him face one man at a time, and finally looked back at the palomino.
"If a god shows up and asserts his ownership, I'm not going to argue. In the mean time, I'll see about civilizing him."
"So, you came back from Lucky Strike with some new horses, after all?" Cina shook her head at him.
"Well, I, or rather the Gemstone patrol, will pay us adventurers a fair price for any they keep. I might even think about keeping a couple more riding horses about the place. Yes, Jina. Yes, Aero. No, not the palomino. He's mean, he's been abused, he might attract the attention of a god. Speaking of which, I really ought to do the same."
"We ought to build a temple." Mev said. "It's just obscene you talking to a god like he was a drinking buddy or something."
"No, he says too many prayers give him a headache. Umm, God of War, I suspect I should have spoken a few days ago when I got into a fight with the God of Peace and the Goddess of Mercy."
They all backed hastily away.
"Mercy got into a fight!"
Jin grinned at the tall figure that was suddenly beside him. Then another, figure, this one an old man using a spear for a crutch.
"Mercy got into a fight?"
"Umm, actually she just sat to the side, and got verbally nasty afterwards. I don't know if she had anything to do with kidnapping the boys."
The man with the spear frowned.
The War God sighed, "I was hoping she'd defuse things." He glanced across the paddock and blinked. "You captured his horse? I don't suppose you did the World a favor and killed him did you?"
"Err, no, although the horse did hurt him. He'd been mistreating it." Jin looked at the horse. It was staring at the god, tense and frightened.
"So I see. Does he relax around you? He may recognize me as the same sort of creature that hurt him. They're very smart."
"Well, he's less tense than that but I wouldn't call him relaxed." Jin hesitated. "They are very smart?"
"There are two others still alive, that we know of. My black horse and the God of Love's Horse. Hmm." His eyes looked a bit unfocused for a moment. "Romeau, could you bring Sun Gold here?"
"You only love me for my horse, don't you?"
Jin blinked at the handsome man on the bright chestnut who had just appeared out of nowhere.
The God of War pointed across the pasture, and the chestnut perked his ears and stared. Neighed. The palomino shifted and snorted.
"Jin Genero, Sir Romeau Ayrees, the God of Love and Harry, the God of the Roads. For some reason, being around Pax has given that horse a dislike of Gods."
"Smart horse." The god dismounted and stripped the tack from the chestnut. "Pleased to meet you Jin." The chestnut stallion took two strides and bounded over the fence. He floated across the pasture and stopped in front of the palomino.
Jin gulped. "I think he's a rig, they may fight."
"No, they gelded him. Wolf, did you give him any wine?"
Jin cleared his throat, "The Goddess of Mercy gave me a bottle. I gave him about a cup."
"Ah, he'll be regrowing his nads then. You may need to give him another dose in a week or three when they descend." The Auld Wulf looked at him. "Quite a valuable stallion you'll have, very shortly. Give the mares a bit of the joy juice, too. And it's a magic spell, pour a bit in another bottle of red wine and it'll be just as potent as the original. Be careful when giving it to youngsters, though, it's got an aphrodisiac in it."
Romeau sighed. "I really wish I'd seen that first orgy. It must have been a beaut."
"It was terrifying." The God of the Roads cast a censorious glare toward the God of War.
Who ignored him. The Auld Wulf glanced at Jin, and then back at the horses, who appeared to be conversing with flicks of their ears, and the posture of their heads and necks. "So. What happened?"
Jin gave him a concise rundown. "I have the contents of all their pouches and saddle bags," he ended.
"Oh, ho. These we want."
The trio of deities glanced through the papers, then the God of the Roads took them away. The chestnut stallion jumped back out of the paddock to be saddled and bridled for a proper exit. The God of War simply disappeared.
"Don't look so disappointed," Romeau swept the cautious family a bow with his outrageously plumbed hat. "When he decides to put on a show, between his armor and that black horse, he outshines me." He mounted and disappeared.
After a long moment, Jina edged up. "Did he say that horse was going to be a stallion?"
"Can this horse jump like that one can?" Aero looked a bit boggled.
"Yep, that's what the god said." Jin scratched his chin. "Let's leave the two mares in here with him, and take the rest out. Maybe he'll stay in if the mares are here."
"Dad, we need to get a whole bunch of mares." Jina nodded. "Breed them all, and then even if that god takes the horse back we'll still have some really terrific foals."
Luz walked up grinning. "Remember that I chose the bay mare. So I will have a really terrific foal."
"Dad!"
Jin foresaw a large number of mares and foals in his future. Maybe it was time to think about developing some of the Ashstone strips that had enough soil to grow grass.
Chapter Twenty-five
1374 Late Spring
Ash
"They're free, Mom!"
Rustle, walking back from the witches hotsprings, spotted Xen on the front porch of the Tavern. She'd spent three weeks of working with witches she really didn't like . . . But Xen looked like he was thriving, spending his days with various male relatives. Between the Auld Wulf, Dydit and Nil, he'd probably . . . well, not missed all the women he was around in Rip Crossing, and even in Asia.
The boy reached into a crate and pulled out a fat red puppy. "He's giving them away!"
She peered into the wooden crate. "Umm, are those Lord Kell's puppies?"
"Yes. Their Moms are very good sheep herders."
"I'm sure that people who have sheep will be very glad to have them." So long as the Hell Hound half doesn't want mutton for dinner.
General Rufi had sent the Mages back to New Tokyo, in hopes of opening more "temples." Rustle wasn't sure Lord Hell or the Goddess of Mercy were going to be much help with the comet, and the last two temples, well, the possibilities were the gods of virtue, vice, eternal youth and art. But then, the God of Love is a good friend and staunch supporter of the "good people" so maybe I ought not judge them before I meet them.
The witches had lingered in Ash, to get in some practice with the pyramid, but Rustle was about ready to run away to New Tokyo again.
She glanced through the window and spotted Wolf. "Ah. I'll be right back." She stepped inside and eyed the man uncertainly. He nudged a chair out, and Rustle sat down across the table from him. "What's wrong with Xen. You've been watching him constantly."
"Depends on what you call wrong." He looked over as the door opened. The boy was lugging one of the pups from the box on the porch.
"Red dogs are good," Xen announced.
"Yep, and that is a red puppy. Now go put him back." The Auld Wulf shook his head. "I hope you like puppies, he's pretty determined. Four and a half years old. Has he called you mentally? He's been calling me for months now. Keeps me updated on the foals."
"Oh." Rustle sat back. "All the way from the Rip? I knew he was early, but he's that strong, already?"
"Yep. So I'm keeping an eye on him, even from a distance. Not that he actually seems to need it. But I have memories of other very strong, very young magicians who sometimes take on more than they can handle. More than they can control. Lots of accidental fires. And how are you doing? Are you getting your lessons in? Do I need to keep Xen at night so you have more time?"
Rustle blinked. Thought it over. "Actually this is working well. I get lessons. We pop back to Rip Crossing, and Xen and I play with the horses. After dinner I put him to bed and then practice on my own. I think motherhood away from the Pyramid
suits me. And perhaps, away from the Summer Camp, too. Some one's always thought of something I need to do."
He frowned into the distance. "You are so capable at such a high level that there will always be someone telling you that there is something more important that you could be doing."
Rustle eyed him. "That sounds like experience talking. A wife, perhaps? You miss her, don't you?"
"I . . . barely remember, some days. There were several . . . I think." His eyes were on the floor, or more likely focused on the past. "Muriel, who left because . . . No. I left . . . I don't remember why . . . and she wouldn't come, wouldn't uproot her children . . . not my children . . . Kendra Star . . . she aged and died . . . I withdrew from the world for a long time, after that. And never dared . . . I don't know how to get past that. I thought I'd forgotten, but I dream . . . of loss."
"Oh." She had to look away. Xen provided a welcome break. "Oh, you've switched puppies. Now you want a black and gray bitch?"
"Yes. She's a very good dog." Xen carried the grunting puppy back outside.
"His language is improving by leaps and bounds . . ." Rustle looked at the man, worried. "Do you want me to leave you alone?"
He winced. Threw himself to his feet and paced over to the window. "I don't know. I thought . . . I knew what I was doing." His voice dropped. "And I'm afraid to touch you."
Rustle looked away. Blanked her mind and concentrated on slow steady breaths. I'm too damned young for him. I must be like a child, not seeing how shallow and ignorant I am. So . . . change the subject and wait. For as long as necessary. "I've been shaping metal and prospecting for gems out in Havi's Land Grant. Just small ones so far, nothing like Gemstones' garnets, and no sign of gold."